Fourth, we have a two and a nine off suit. A pair of nines can beat a pair of eights, but it is still a better idea to fold.

Last but definitely not least, another horrible starting hand is the dreaded two and six off suit. You may have a small chance at drawling a low straight, but little else is possible with a combination like this. Again, folding on a hand like this is a much better idea.

A two and eight off suit is just a little better, but not by much. A pair of eights might be able to beat someone but, again, the odds are quite small.

In both case, folding is the smarter option.

I feel it is important to discuss these five horrible hands before going on to discuss the ten best starting hands for a game of Texas Hold ‘Em because sometimes, when you get the bad news before the good news, you are more inclined to remember it.

Trust me when I say that this will be to your advantage, not in the least because it will be able to save you a lot of money during future games.

So check back the next could of weeks, when we will be discussing in depth these five awful hands.

Whether your aim is to flop a wheel, flop quad kings — flop anything, really — you have to remember one thing: beer and poker do not go together. I know, I know. It hurts my soul too.

And, okay, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration. How about this amendment? Don’t get completely hosed while you’re playing poker. A couple of beers are no problem — unless you’re a lightweight, and a few beers will do the trick.

But do remember that you cannot really afford to be completely lax and relaxed. Whether you are playing in an online game or at a bricks and mortar casino, being drunk is going to impede your game.

Of course, if you’re just playing with friends, a little tipsiness is totally allowed — but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you really trust your buddies.

There is one fundamental thing you need to understand: you do not have to play every single hand. In fact, you should not do that, under any circumstances. Your opponents are not going to be impressed by your ability to play even the most dreadful hands. In fact, they will likely take advantage of it, because that trait is a definite flaw.

Do not be afraid to fold. By doing so, especially on those crap hands, you will make yourself seem safely unpredictable — you won’t seem like a hotheaded wild card, but neither will you seem like a player who plays it so safe, you actually become boring.

Choosing the right game for you may mean saving some change after the game or bringing home the real money after. As much as you need to develop your skills in poker, it is as important to know which games to get into.

If you are an ordinary fish then it will be hard to play in a see full of sharks. You may be lucky and be out of it alive but look at the very bleak chances that you have to consider.

Winning money is beating other players in the table. You need to ask yourself before sitting down for a game:

• You can check if you know the players. Whether it’s in your local casino or playing poker over the internet, you should scan the table for players which you think you can outclass. You can know the players more by jotting things about them or by pure memory.
• Try to read if it is a loose or passive game. Loose games might help you win some decent pots while the passive kind of poker will help you protect your chips and have smaller loses in the long run.
• Observe. If there is a very important skill in any kind of poker, it is reading how players react to wins, to bluffs, or to any other tricks other players play against them. Learn their tendencies so you will know their strengths and weaknesses that you can use against them.